Feed apparatus for weighing or packaging machines.



No. 705,222. Patented July 22, I902.

W. H. DOBLE.

FEED APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING UR PACKAGING MACHINES. (Application filedFeb. 14, 1902.

(No'WlodeL) W1 E5585- lv veqimr'.

UNITED STATES,

WILLIAM H. DOBLE, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PNEU- MATICSCALE CORPORATION, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

FEED APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING OR PACKAGING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 705,222, dated July22, 1902.

Application filed February 14,1902. Serial No. 94,077. (No model-'1 Toall whont it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. DOBLE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FeedApparatus for Weighing or Packaging Machines, of whichthe following is aspecification.

The invention has for its object to provide means for feeding a smalluniform stream into a scale-pan or into a receptacle on the scale of aweighing-machine or into a receptacle on a packaging-machine.

Some materials-such as baking-powder, cocoa, and flourdo not flowfreely, and with the means of agitation heretofore in use the goods arenot delivered with the uniformity of flow necessary to insure anapproximately correct weight or quantity. Another objec tion to otherforms of agitators in use is that the material is liable to pack or cakeand so render them inoperative.

In the invention herein described means are employed for separating auniformly-constant amount of material during the operation of feedinginto the receptacle or scalepan in such manner as to utilize whatevertendency the material may have to packing or caking and so separatingand delivering with much greater uniformity than by other methods.

The invention will now be fully described, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will.

be particularly set forth in the claims at the close of thespecification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a hopper with a stirring deviceand mechanism for operating the stirrer and other mechanism embodyingthe invention. elevation of Fig. 1, partly broken away. Fig. 3 is asectional elevation at right angles to the stirrer-shaft on line 3 3 ofFig. 1 looking to the left.

Referring now to the drawings, the material to be delivered to thepackage or scalepan is supplied to the hopper l bya spout or othersuitable means. In the lower part of the hopper and extending crosswisethereof Fig. 2 is a front above the outlet is a cylindrical chamber 2,in which a stirrer mounted upon and fixed to shaft 3 is caused torevolve. Said shaft may be actuated by means of a sprocket-wheel 4,mounted on the shaft outside the cylindrical chamber 2 and suitableconnecting and driving mechanism or by any other suitable means. Thesaid.chamber 2 is open to the hopper above.

The form of stirrer shown in the drawings, and which is the bestembodiment of the invention now known to me, consists of paddleblades 5or bars, fixed in spokes b, radiating from a hub mounted on said shaft3. These paddle blades are perfectly narrow metal plates carried at theextremities of the spokes, so that there is a wide clearance between thepaddles and the shaft.

'Exte'nding crosswise of the outlet of the hopper beneath the stirrer isa gate having a narrow passage 7 and an upturned lip 8 along the edge ofthe passage. The lip preferably .inclines upward in a direction contraryto the direction of rotation of the stirrer. The gate preferablyconsists of two plates 9 10, one or both of which are adjustable, so asto vary the width of the opening '7, the lip 8 being formed by turningup the edge of one of the plates. The lip 8 extends up into the path ofthe radius of movement of the stirrer, and the blades 5 are formed withrecesses 11 to afford clearance for the lip and allow a narrowspacebetween.

Below the slotted gate above described there is preferably another gateor valve, which when closed entirely shuts off passage out from thehopper. The form of valve is not material. consists of two shutters 1213, mounted on shafts 14 15 and operated through lever 16, rod 17, andsuitable mechanism, (not shown,) which may be connected therewith. Asthe stirrer revolves, the material forms into a cylindrical mass. Asthis cylindrical mass revolves, it will be engaged by thelip 8, whicl1will separate a smallportion from the periphery, which will beconstantly replenished from the main supply. The separated portion willbe swept down through the slot 7 That shown in the drawings and supply aconstant fine stream while the stirrer is in motion and the main valveis open.

It is obvious that the stirrer may be varied in form and. that the axisof revolution may be vertical or at an angle and that the lip or scraper8 may be varied in form and location, the essential features being themoving mass of material and a scraper which removes portions thereof andan exit-passage therefor.

What I claim is 1. In combination with a chute or hopper, a rotarystirrer, a gate to the outlet beneath said stirrer having an openingtherethrough and an upturned lip, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a chute or hopper, a gate to the outlet having anopening therethrough, a lip projecting upward from the edge of saidopening, and a rotary stirrer whose axis of revolution is crosswise ofthe hopper above said gate and having stirrerhlades with recessestopermit clearance between the stirrer and said lip, substantially asdescribed.

3. In combination with a chute or hopper,

I a gate to the outlet having an opening therethrough, means ofadjusting the said gate to vary the size of opening, a lip projectingupward from at or near the edge of said opening and a rotary stirrerwhose axis of revolution is crosswise of the hopper above said gate,substantially as described.

4. In combination with a chute or hopper, a rotary stirrer which rotatesthe goods in a cylindrical mass and a blade which engages the peripheryof the rotating mass and separates iine portions thereof, substantiallyas described.

5. In combination with a chute or hopper, a stirrer, a gate to theoutlet and a lip at the edge of the outlet extending into the path ofrotation of the mass of material moved by the stirrer, substantially asdescribed.

6. In combination with a chute or hopper,

means for rotating the material in a cylindrical mass and a scraperwhich engages the periphery of the rotating mass and separates fineportions thereof, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a chute or hopper, means for rotating within thehopper the material fed therein, an inclined scraper which is adapted toremove from the revolving mass portions thereof, and an outlet-passagefor the removed portions, substantially as described.

8. In combination with a chute or hopper, a stirrer-chamber in the lowerpart of the chute or hopper, a stirrer which rotates on a horizontalaxis in said chamber, a valve beneath said stirrer having a graduatedpassage therethrough, a lip which extends up into the path of the radiusof rotation of said stirrer and recesses formed in the stirrer-blades toafford clearance for the said lip, substantially as described.

j 9. In combination with a chute or hopper,

a gate consisting of an adjustable plate or' plates whereby a contractedpassage may be produced, a revolving head carrying stirrerblades whichrevolve insaid hopper, a lip which projects upward from at or near theedge of the opening in said gate and recesses in the stirrer-blades toafford clearance for the said lip, substantially as described.

'10. In combination with a chute or hopper, a gate having a narrowpassage therethrough, a rotary stirrer above said gate, a lip whichprojects upward from at or near the edge of said passage, and a secondvalve below said first gate which can be entirely closed, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

I WILLIAM H. DOBLE.

WVitnesses:

BLANCHE S. LEVY, WILLIAM A. COPELAND.

